Funny enough, Kwankwasiyya movement still not realized that the movement is a paper tiger and has crumbled like a pack of cards. Recently, the movement in its desperate moved to remain relevant in the polity of the staye accused Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of illegally selling public properties to cronies and family members.
This is nothing but laughable threats that they would not fold arms and allow public assets to rot away . The allegations is absolutely baseless that Daula Hotel, Triumph Publishing Company, Part of the Eid Ground, Panshekara Modern Abattoir, Hajj Camp, Shahuci Motor Park and the State Zoological garden.
Let them wake up from their slumbers and recalled that it was former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s (RMK) administration that ordered the closure of Daula Hotel and sacked all the staff. RMK handed over the property to School of Hospitality and Tourism but only 10 per cent of the structure was occupied by the school.
Unknown to the peoples in the state, when the hotel was closed down, some reputable hoteliers drew the attention of then administration to sign an agreement with them to manage Daula but turned down the offered either had other cynical motives.
Now Ganduje’s administration engaged private developers through Public Private Partnership (PPP) to convert the former Daula Hotel premises into residential buildings, Mall and Hotels in an effort to explore more ways to enhance revenue generation in the state.
There is nothing wrong if such comatose and structurally defective properties would be turned around with committed stakeholders through Public Private Partnership agreement with willing investors in the best public interest, as part of a noble futuristic move to make the ancient city catch up with modernity for a befitting mega city status.
Let them remembered, around October 2012, we the staff of the company at about six o’clock, we were going about our normal duties we suddenly saw a team of security operatives in the premises of the company accompanied by then state commissioner of information who told us that Governor RMK has decided to closed down Triumph Publishing Company. This was brutally and unceremoniously closure would remain in our minds even though, (we) the staff of the newspaper were not treated like Daula staff. I can testify that Triumph Publishing Company is relocated to a convenient place befitting a newspaper house.
Governor Ganduje showed his commitment in revitalisation of the Triumph Publishing company knowing that the Company is not just a newspaper publishing company but a training ground for journalists across the country. While the company former site going to be develop into more economically viable and modern Bureau de Change Market that can generate more revenue to the state and provide employment opportunities to the teeming populace.
On the Zoological Garden, when the zoological garden was established, it was on the outskirt of Kano. No responsible government will fold its arm and watch the lives of its citizens endanger. One may recalled when one of the Lion kept in the Zoological Garden escaped. That incident caused serious trauma to the residents around Gandun, Tukuntawa and Zoo Road Housing Estates. There is nothing wrong if the zoological Garden is relocated from residential area to outskirt of town for public safety because where the space will be put to a more economic use.
Kwankwasiyya movement forgotten its was during the first tenure of RMK, some parts of Kofar Mata Eid ground were allocated to some individual closed to his administration. For the residence of Fagge, Zango, Kofar Mata, Kofar Wambai areas, the Eid praying ground remains scary place to a passer-by because some miscreants have turned the ground into a hiding place to commit heinous crimes from phone snatching and other related crimes as result some victims loss of lives. Today, the structures surrounding the Eid praying ground has reduced the level of insecurity and has drastically beautified the area.
Civil servants and their families would not forget how the then Governor Kwankwaso sold government properties (GPs) at exorbitant price that the occupiers could not afford. There are available records on how the same government sold GPs to cronies of the administration at giveaway price. At the tail end of the administration, some vehicles belonging to the state government valued at millions of naira were sold to government functionaries at giveaway prices.
What about the billions of naira belonging to State Pension Fund was used to build Bandarawo and Amana Housing Estates that are so expensive. Now only ample of government department and agencies now occupy. This wrong policy making it difficult for pensioners to get their gratuities when disengage from service.
We witnessed how Kwankwaso’s administration inscribed political slogan on public buildings which personified them violations of state’s laws which prohibit anyone from using public funds to discriminate and promote the personal ego of an individual, against the collective interest of the public, Despite all public projects executed or being executed by the state government were done with public funds held in trust by the governor for all the people of Kano State.
This is not to count the ordinary citizens, civil servants and pensioners who suffered varied degrees of maltreatment by Kwankwaso’s government. In fact, taking into consideration the trouble the state found itself during second coming of RMK, the prayer should be that God should forbid and don’t allow it to repeat itself in future.
Sadly, almost six years out of power, RMK and his misled foot soldiers go about with erroneous impression of self importance by presuming to be undefeatable power brokers in the state. They delude themselves in a frame of mind convincing themselves of having the powers to do and undo, make or mar as well give power to whomsoever they wish and wrest same from whomsoever they disapprove.
Ganduje’s administration has taken the Kano to the highest feat with the free and compulsory education for the teeming children, most of whom are wards of the poor in the society.
Dukawa wrote in from Kano, can be reach via abbahydukawa@gmail.com
